


Missed You

by CrockBlocked



Category: Homestuck
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-06
Updated: 2012-06-06
Packaged: 2017-11-07 01:46:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/425554
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrockBlocked/pseuds/CrockBlocked
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Three years has nearly passed and Karkat is getting pretty bored of everyone. There's only one person at this point that can cheer him up. JohnKat. Characters owned by the almighty Huss.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Boredom and Worries

The air was still and dry in the confined space of the respiteblock. For the twentieth time that same hour, tired, half-lidded eyes stared at the collage of romcom posters that plastered the walls. The troll let out a breathy sigh that descended in his throat to a frustrated growl. He rolled over on the floor, knocking his laptop closed, not that he cared. No one was online; they were actually conversing in person. Shocking.

Another frustrated sigh. Since his moirail had gone into hiding from everyone, especially Kanaya, Karkat couldn't exactly just go and see him whenever he got like this. Of course he knew precisely where he was on this gog-forsaken rock, but he wouldn't compromise Gamzee's hiding place for anything. Nor was talking to Terezi an option anymore, or else he might start something with Dave, who always seemed to be with her. Then there was Rose and Kanaya. Both infuriatingly insightful people who would only psychoanalyze him. And of course, Aradia, half-dead Sollux, weird dead god-tier Eridan and Feferi...

Karkat rolled onto his side and curled up around his laptop. Upon opening it, he glanced over at the chumproll opened up in the trollian window, looking for anyone with whom to start a conversation. No, nope, fuck no, he thought as he glared hard at each colorful trolltag. Then he looked at the two tags towards the bottom in his left that were grey in their offline status, more so at the very last. He looked over at his calendar and frowned. It had to have been close to three earth years by now. Isn't that how long it would take to reach their destination? For three years, the last handle had been grey, unable to come online as it's owner flew through space on a golden battleship.

Karkat looked at the screen, at the tag, a little longer than everyone else's. It wasn't that he necessarily missed the human, but he'd admit that he tolerated him more than the other humans. At least he wasn't stealing all of your remaining friends. But he couldn't help feel a pang of worry when the human wormed his way into Karkat's think-pan.

"Fuck this," he murmured to himself as he wrenched his eyes away from the screen. Without another thought, he closed the laptop once more, stood up, and stretched. He hadn't slept well in days; the freaky dream bubbles only brought back painful memories, sometimes, even mocking alternate universes of what could have been as a happy, normal troll, and not a mutant. Karkat glanced once at the empty room, then transportalized from his respiteblock and into the lab.

He didn't really know where he was trying to go, just that he needed to walk around, without bumping into anyone. The lab wasn't exactly his first choice in places to relax; there was hardly any light in the large room, only illuminated by the cylindrical tanks that housed various subjects. Overall, it was really quite creepy.

Karkat leaned against the far wall and slid down, sitting with his knees in front of him. He was just so bored, so tired. He let his eyes wander around the place, lingering from one floating science experiment to the next. The next thing he remembered was a gentle, but firm, hold on his shoulder from an unknown person. Karkat's eyes opened wide in shock and he turned his head fast enough to feel a slight pain in his neck. He looked up at the nearly-glowing troll standing close to him.

"Kanaya? What the fuck?" Karkat rubbed his neck, then looked at his hand. His gray skin was covered in a light sheen of sweat.

Kanaya's face that had momentarily held an expression of worry, softened into a gentle understanding smile. "You were screaming in your sleep. I could hear you from the computer bay."

Karkat looked down at his knees. "Oh." Damn. The horrorterrors must have gotten to him again.

"Is there anything that you would like to talk about? Perhaps it would dispel any negative feelings that may have found their way into your dream bubble?" Kanaya gave Karkat's shoulder a comforting squeeze. She always played the role of mother-grub when it came to the young troll.

Karkat shook his head. This is something he had to do with his moirail.

"No." Karkat got to his feet and pulled at the hem of his sweater. "Thanks, though." He looked at the rainbow-drinker. He found it hard to look at Kanaya with the usual spite he gave everyone, his gaze now holding something more like fear or sadness. Kanaya removed her hand and nodded.

"I'll leave you alone, then, shall I?"

"Yeah. Thanks."

And in a moment Kanaya was gone. Karkat blinked a few times in the dim light. The images that flashed across his eyelids were part of the same nightmare he had had often these past three years.

Feeling a little creeped out by his current surroundings, Karkat made his way back to his room. He leaned against one his posters and collected himself. Then he picked up his laptop from the floor and sat at his desk. The usual people were online still. He allowed himself another glance at the last name in the list. He blinked and saw the vision from his dream bubble again. John's face contorted with pain as Jack stabbed him again and again. His bright red blood falling to the floor in heavy streams. His face when he looks to you for help. Your name on his lips, and he reaches, shakily for you. But you do nothing. You are shackled to the wall behind you, and you pull against them. By the time you get free, Jack is gone, and you can only watch as the life leaves the ocean blue eyes of the human...

Karkat closed his eyes in self-pity and anguish at the repeat of his nightmare. He opened his eyes just in time to see a window fade in at the bottom of the laptop screen.

The window read, "ectoBiologist is online." Karkat's blood-pusher nearly stopped.


	2. Conversations

For a minute or two, Karkat sat, immobilized, at his desk. His eyes were locked onto the tag as it lit up it's usual bright blue. A jolt of nervous excitement jumped into his chest. He bit his cheek in response, mentally scolding himself for being childish. So his friend was nearby, so what? Wait. John was close. Close and alive. Karkat clicked on the tag at once.

carcinoGeneticist [CG] began trolling ectoBiologist [EB]

Gray hands rested above the keyboard. What do you say to someone you haven't talked to in three years?

EB: hey karkat!

EB: karkat you there?

CG: YEAH I'M HERE

CG: HEY EGBERT

Again Kartkat hesitated. God, he was such an awkward fuck! Come on, he willed himself.

EB: it's so great to finally talk to someone again!

EB: i mean, not that it hasn't been fun with jade and dave

EB: er, davesprite...

EB: so what's been going on where you are? rose and dave are there?

CG: WELL, IT HASN'T EXACTLY BEEN A FUCKING PARTY HERE. YEAH THE OTHER HUMANS ARE HERE AND THEY'VE BEEN MAKING MY LIFE A HELL AS USUAL.

CG: MAYBE NOT SO MUCH ROSE, EVEN AS HUGELY FUCKING ANNOYING AS HER PSYCHOANALYTICAL TENDENCIES ARE, BUT I CAN'T EVEN IMAGINE HOW YOU COULD EVEN STAND TO CALL THAT BULGELICKER A FRIEND.

EB: you mean dave?

EB: no man, he's a cool guy!

CG: IF YOU CALL STEALING A GUY'S POTENTIAL MATESPRIT AWAY "COOL", THEN, YES, DAVE IS THE ABSOLUTE PATHETIC EPITOME OF ALL THINGS COOL AND OTHERWISE AWESOME IN THIS SHITTY UNIVERSE.

EB: whoa man!

EB: i'm sorry that happened karkat!

CG: DON'T WORRY ABOUT IT EGDERP

CG: IT HAPPENED A WHILE AGO. I'M OVER IT. IT WAS COMPLICATED WHEN WE WERE TOGETHER ANYWAY.

CG: ALSO, I JUST WANT TO MAKE YOU AWARE THAT I RECEIVED YOUR RIDICULOUSLY AWFUL EXCUSE FOR A NOTE.

EB: oh, you mean the one with the bucket?

CG: EGBERT, WHAT ON ALTERNIA WERE YOU THINKING? OF ALL THE OBSCENITIES, YOU CHOSE TO DELIVER AN ALREADY AWKWARD ENOUGH RAMBLING MESSAGE IN AN ITEM THAT REPRESENTS, WELL, SOMETHING QUITE PRIVATE IN MY CULTURE

EB: i know, i'm sorry! i only remembered that after jade sent it.

EB: i wish i could have seen the look on your face hehe! :)

Karkat scowled. How does he do that? He says these little things that make Karkat want to smile or blush a bright candy-red.

CG: YEAH, WELL, YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO, SOON, RIGHT?

CG: I MEAN SINCE THE THREE YEARS IS ALMOST UP, WE'RE ALL GOING TO MEET UP AND FIGHT JACK? ISN'T THAT THE PLAN OR WHATEVER?

EB: oh yeah!

EB: hehe that's right! i finally get to meet you!

EB: and everyone else! heheheh

CG: YEAH, WELL, DON'T EXPECT MUCH. AS I SAID, IT HASN'T REALLY BEEN ALL THAT INTERESTING.

EB: jade says we'll see you guys in an hour.

EB: that's okay. it's been the same around here.

EB: hey karkat?

CG: WHAT IS IT, EGBERT?

EB: um well, i just wanted to say that i'm really happy to hear from you again!

CG: IT

CG: IT'S GOOD TO HEAR FROM YOU TOO.

EB: jade says i have to help her steer the ship now.

EB: see you soon!

CG: OKAY YEAH.

Karkat sat back in his chair and reread the conversation. His replies lacked their usual sarcastic trademark. Surely John would have noticed! Bringing his hands to his face, the troll rubbed his temples. Just one more hour.

He wondered what the human would look like now. Judging by the appearances of the other humans on the meteor, he figured that the past three years must have been the humans' main development stage. Rose looked more womanly than girlish, and Dave, although still lanky, grew almost a foot. Karkat tried to imagine the last time he saw John. He speculated whether or not he would look like Dave, but with the same messy black hair and dorky glasses and buck teeth from when he was a kid. The image brought a small smile to Karkat's face, something that wasn't seen all that often.

"You sure look happy, Karkitty."

Karkat spun around in his chair and saw the epitome of cool himself, Dave Strider, leaning against the far wall of the respiteblock. Karkat's smile was gone, hidden away by the nearly permanent scowl to which everyone was accustomed at this point.

"What the hell are you doing here, Strider? Isn't there such a thing as privacy where you come from, or were all humans raised to be intrusive nooksuckers?" Karkat narrowed his eyes at the human who only stared blankly from behind his sunglasses.

"Hey, man, don't shoot the messenger. I'm just here to tell you that Rose needs you in the main bay." Dave raised his hands up in a sort of surrender.

"Is this about John and the others?" The troll glanced once towards the chat window that he still hadn't closed.

Dave only raised an eyebrow behind the dark shades. "Yeah. You talk to him yet?"

"Only for a few minutes." The amount of awkward that hung in the air was nearly tangible. This had been the pair's first conversation in days, and the last one didn't exactly play out so well. "I guess we should see what Rose wants."

Without another word, Dave, then Karkat, left for the main computer bay, which seemed to be the habitual meeting place. Rose and Kanaya, nearly unseparable, stood at the front of the remaining residents of the meteor; until Dave and Karkat arrived, it had only been Terezi and the Mayor. Dead Feferi and Eridan seemed to be rather here and there, not really constant in their existence in this plane. And, of course, Gamzee still had yet to be found.

With a nod to acknowledge the boys' presence, Kanaya started off the meeting. "Everyone, as there is so few of us left, it is imperative that we all play our role in what is to come with the arrival of our friends. Since she has been carefully elected as our new leader, let us all give our respectful attention to Rose. She has had a few moments contact with Jade and has decided the best course of action."

Rose smiled at the troll. "Thank you, Kanaya. That was a wonderful introduction."

Karkat rolled his eyes. "Yeah, okay, guys, are we going to talk strategy or are you two going to declare matespritship?"

"Dude, that's my sister. Sort of." Dave swatted the top of Karkat's head.

"Hey, hands off the sweater!" Karkat glared at the blond, his hands balled into fists at his sides.

"Looks like someone's on edge."

"Maybe it's because we're going to be facing a major enemy who's killed us many times in various alternate and doomed timelines already?" Karkat crossed his arms and huffed.

"Or have you been talking to your boyfriend recently?"

"Hey how about shut the fuck up, Strider? If I wanted to delve into the complexities of troll emotions, I would be talking to Gamzee. Not you!"

"Both of you, shut your faces!" Terezi whipped her head around to glare, blindly, past her red-tinted glasses at the boys. "Seriously, I thought you two would have matured by now! Jegus!"

"Sorry, Terez." Dave took a step back away from Karkat.

"Right, well, anyway," Rose continued, "Jade and I have come up with what we believe to be the best solution to our strategy problems. Luckily, we will have just enough time to get all of is sorted out by the time the great battle is upon us. Three years ends in two weeks. Jade has gotten their ship to speed up a little more in the last few months so they'll be here early." She pointed to the computer screen behind her. There seemed to be a video feed of the roof of the building they were in. On the screen, something vast and bright gold was speeding towards the camera. "They will be in position to land in a few minutes."

Kanaya now turned towards Karkat. "There will be no more arguing, understand, Mr. Vantas?" Karkat sneered. "You too, Mr. Strider."

"Whatever," was the blond's steady response.

Rose sighed, frustrated by her ecto-brother and the troll's normal antics. "Never mind, guys, it seems Jade, John, and Davesprite have already landed. We'll continue this later when we have everything figured out. Everyone's dismissed."

Terezi, holding the Mayor's hand, left for Can Town. "You coming, Dave?"

"No, I'm going to wait to see my best bro. Later, Terezi. Mayor."

Kanaya and Rose were left to carry on their own conversation as Dave and Karkat now stood alone on the opposite side of the room.

"Hey. I get the first hug." Dave stared through his shades right at Karkat.

"Why would I care, you overgrown bonebulge?" The troll crossed his arms again and scowled.

Strider's reply, one that would most likely be filled with irony, was cut off by the appearance of a succession of humans and, well, a sprite.

"Hey, guys! We finally made it!"

Jade squealed and pulled both Rose and Kanaya into a big hug, although she never really met the troll. She eventually released them from her grip and walked up to the other two in the room. To Dave, Jade beamed and threw her arms around him. Dave reciprocated and they stood like that long enough for Karkat to say under his breath something that sounded much like, "Get a bucket..." earning a sneer from both humans.

"I'm guessing you're Karkat?" Jade raised an eyebrow. Her frown turned into a small smile as she stuck her hand out. "Thanks for everything, y'know, before. Helping and all that." Karkat, not expecting such a greeting, shook her hand and nodded in reply.

"Karkat?" At the sound of his name, the troll looked beyond Jade to see a thin teen in blue pajamas locked in a tender bro embrace with Strider. The black-haired boy was looking over Dave's shoulder and right at Karkat, with the biggest, dorkiest grin he had ever seen.

A hundred different feelings hit Karkat's think-pan and blood-pusher simultaneously. He watched the tall boy stride over to him, only to be held up by Rose. The troll watched the two hug and converse briefly, and heard John laugh. It was deeper than the silly giggle he imagined from their online conversations. He breathed in sharply. Oh my god. This thing is not John! Fuck! He's taller than me!

"Karkat!" The lanky teen was waving him over.

The troll panicked. This isn't exactly what he had in mind for their first meeting. Honestly, Karkat wouldn't have minded if things were a bit more...private. Shit! In one swift step, Karkat was already on the transportalizer and gone in an instant.

Once alone in one of the many deserted hallways, Karkat slunk against the wall, eyes still wide from what, who, he saw. He's fucking perfect!


	3. So Close

Finally calmed down, Karkat mentally punched himself. Fuckass! He was calling out to you! And what did you do? You stormed off like the pathetic douche you are. What did you expect? Some sort of cheesy embrace, sloppy make outs, and confessions of red feelings? Karkat smacked himself. Idiot.

"Whoa, bro, you shouldn't hit yourself like that."

Karkat looked up to see his moirail crouched in front of him. He had no idea how long he had been sitting there, but he couldn't have appeared at a better time. He looked at the troll's face, never having quite gotten used to the lack of make-up yet. He stopped applying it after the incident, as they referred to it, no longer needing it since he also stopped consuming copious amounts of sopor slime. Gamzee had been on a steady diet and was only allowed a certain amount of sopor to control the behaviors of his high-blooded genetics.

Gamzee only stared back, his expression soft. It was only when the taller troll placed a hand on Karkat's cheek that he realized he had started to cry.

"Aw, come on now, motherfucker. Shoosh." Gamzee furrowed his brows and wiped the reddish tears from the troll's face. He enveloped Karkat in a bear hug. Karkat was always surprised by how strong Gamzee was, since he was so gangly.

"I'm so stupid, Gamz." Karkat gripped the other troll tightly.

"No, you're not. You're the motherfuckin' smartest troll on this rock and best moirail a troll could have." Gamzee relaxed his head on Karkat's shoulder as he shooshed him.

"I don't know what to do. I'm actually really fucking scared."

"Of what?"

"Rejection, hatred, need I fucking go on?"

Gamzee pulled back. "Is this about your little flushcrush?" Karkat nodded weakly. The troll only felt comfortable showing his softer side to Gamzee. After all they had been through, it felt so right to let their guard down in front of each other. That's what moirails were for, weren't they?

"That's easy, bro!" Gamzee grinned and patted the other troll's shoulder. "Just go for it!" Karkat's frown sagged lower.

"Gamzee, that is the worst advice I have ever heard. You can't just 'go for it!' There's an entire friendship at stake, here! John 'I am not a homosexual' Egbert wouldn't exactly swoon at my trying to pail him right off the bat." Karkat blushed, bright red staining his cheeks. Gamzee just laughed.

"Oh man, that's why you need to be even more forceful about it, motherfucker! If what you've been telling me is true, then I think your li'l fucker is just in human denial or whatever about his red feelings." Gamzee patted the smaller troll on the back.

Karkat sighed. "Ugh, Gamzee. Why the fuck are humans so difficult?" To this, Gamzee leaned back and shrugged. Karkat hugged his knees to his chest and just listened to the silence for a bit. "Okay. I'll try out your crazy-ass theory. Just don't be surprised when you have to shooshpap me again afterwards." The troll grumbled and stood up. Gamzee got up as well.

"Good luck, bro." Gamzee gave Karkat another gentle pap on the top of his head and began to walk down the hallway.

"Hey, Gamzee." The troll turned around. "You ever coming out of hiding, or what?"

Gamzee smiled again. "I'll see you at the battle, motherfucker. Now go get your matesprit." Karkat smiled back and nodded before turning the other direction and heading off to his room. With his hands stuffed into the pockets of his black jeans, he strode into his room and plopped back into his desk chair. The chat window was still up. Karkat read through it one more time.

He heard a knock at his door. It was soft, but Karkat had a feeling that he knew exactly who it was. Not many people used the door, since they could just pop right in on him using the transportalizer.

Karkat, first making sure his face was clear of tearstains from earlier, swung open the door.

"Kanaya, I am really not in the mood to-" The troll looked up at his visitor. "John. What do you want?"

Now that they stood in close proximity, the human was about half a foot taller than the troll. Karkat looked up into those blue eyes, the expression on his face a breath-taking sight. John's eyebrows were up in surprise, the corners of his mouth were turned upwards in a slight grin.

"Hehe, hey, Karkat." John's smile grew to full on beaming. And so they stood, John outside of Karkat's respiteblock, and Karkat looking up in mild surprise at the human who had come down all this way to see him. "So...ehehe."

Karkat relaxed and opened the door a little wider. "Oh, uh, come in, I guess." He stepped back and quickly glanced at the room, making sure it wasn't too messy.

"Thanks!" John entered the room and turned around to look at the troll. "You know, I never expected you to be this quiet in person, Karkat, from all the times you've practically shouted at me in our conversations." He smirked.

The troll felt a slight flush creep into his face. The way the human said his name was like freaking music. "Yeah, well, don't get used to it. I'm actually in a pretty good mood today." Karkat returned the smirk. Without any warning at all, John wrapped his thin arms around the troll in seconds, hugging him tightly. "John, what the fuck?"

"I didn't get to hug you properly before! It's so cool to actually see you, instead of just some gray shouty text." The troll shuddered very slightly at John's breath on Karkat's ear. Karkat leaned into the hug, wrapping his own scrawny arms around the blue-clad boy. "Karkat? Whoa!" The troll lowered his arms to the boy's waist and turned them both around. John now had his back against the wall next to the door pressed in by the considerable force of the troll. Karkat, with his hands lingering on John's waist, backed up only a bit to look into the face of his crush. "K-Karkat? What are you-mmmph!"

Karkat had looked up into the surprised, bright red face of the boy who had tormented his blood-pusher for three long, silent years. And even before. Now he was close, so close. Warm. Alive. Karkat took this moment to raise up on his toes, one hand cupping John's blushing face, the other left on his waist, and pressed his gray lips to the surprised pink lips of the human. The kiss was chaste, but it felt wonderful! Karkat closed his eyes and pressed a little harder, attempting to incite a reaction from John.

For a moment, Karkat believed John was finally making a move. John had pressed his own hands into the front of the Cancer's sweater, pulling on the fabric. Then he was pushing him away, breaking the kiss. Karkat's eyes snapped open and saw John's wide-eyed stare. Karkat's grasp on the human slackened and he stepped back, watching John as he did. John's face, besides being a particularly deep shade of red, held an expression of genuine shock. His mouth was open slightly and his hand was holding his jaw. He swallowed.

"Well...that was quite the hello." His eyes held none of the trickster mirth they had just minutes ago, only confusion, and fuck was that fear?

Karkat's smooth romcom-worthy moves had been shot down into a flaming, no pun intended, heap of rejection. He sighed and turned away. "Shit."


	4. Confessions and Hugs

"Dammit, John!" Karkat slammed his fist into the door, then turned and leaned against it. The Heir of Breath jumped. He watched the skinny troll scowl into space. How could he have possibly read the signals wrong? Didn't his trashy romance comedies teach him anything? All the troll wanted to do at the moment involved either killing himself out of embarrassment or pulling some timey-wimey shit and talking his past self out of kissing the human.

"Karkat, look, it's not that I don't like you, I'm just not-" John started, reaching out for the Cancer's shoulder. What was with everyone and this shoulder-touching gesture?

"Not a homosexual. Yeah, I fucking got that, Egbert." Karkat crossed his arms. He knew it wasn't John's fault, directly, that he was rejecting him, again. He just hated himself for even thinking the human might have changed. Like everything else, Karkat should have abandoned all hope and just accepted his miserable, matespritless life. He looked everywhere else but John's face. He didn't want to see the confusion or pity in his eyes.

John shifted his weight from leg to leg and crossed his arms as well. There was no doubt about the awkward tension in the room between them. But John's gaze never left Karkat's face. He was surprised, of course, by the kiss, but he did not necessarily feel disgusted by it. He once thought he would feel utter revulsion at even the idea of another male's lips against his. And yet, the warmth of the troll made John's mind swim with possibilities.

After a long pause, John finally said in a low tone, "That's not...what I was going to say." Karkat's eyes quickly snapped back to meet the human's.

"What, then?" All Karkat could do was stare; no pithy remark, or even a pang of hope. He was done with the human's hijinks, intentional or otherwise. When the human turned his face away, Karkat rolled his eyes. "Fucking what, Egbert?"

John's overbite held his lower lip in a way that made Karkat squirm. He flashed an apologetic smile at the troll before saying, "I meant to say that I'm just not ready for that kind of...contact yet?" John's face immediately flushed to a moderate pink. He fiddled with the end of his god-tier hood as another silence sunk in between them.

Karkat's eyes widened, only slightly, at his reply. It was definitely not something he had expected. What the hell did he mean by "not ready"? Did that mean he had a chance? The troll forced himself to say something, attempted in his mind to come up with something sarcastic or condescending or something! But all he could get out was a simple, coherent, "What?"

John smiled again, this time, with more sincerity. "I mean, I don't think I'm not a homosexual, at least not anymore. I may have believed I wasn't before or could even think about it at one point, but that was kind of a long time ago, you know? I mean, I'm not saying I'm totally gay or anything but-"

"Shut up."

John looked into the black eyes of the troll and raised his eyebrows. Now it was his turn to say, "What?"

"John, just shut up. You fucking talk way too much, to the point where you're only embarrassing yourself. I will admit that this is not what I was fucking expecting- fuck, I don't know what I was expecting- but I know it was not this in-between shit." Karkat's stare challenged John to look away. He didn't, nor did he respond. So Karkat continued, "Goddammit, John, I kissed you because I like you. Really fucking like you. I am pouring my emotions over here straight from my blood-pusher. You can at least try to grasp how serious this shit is for me." Karkat marched right up to John. "I can take rejection; I've endured things far more painful than that. I don't need you to fucking dance around questions and act like you care!"

John could only stare, his mouth agape slightly, his overbite in view. He swallowed as he felt his face heat up with a deep blush. Karkat noticed this, and could feel the warmth in his cheeks as well. But he wasn't backing down.

"Karkat," John started. He looked at the troll in front of him. Karkat had always been there for him, strangely even more than his best bro, when it really mattered. His life may have been saved on numerous occasions because of him. This troll, this foul-mouthed, hot-tempered, emotional wreck of a creature was always there for him. And now he has just confessed his feelings to him.

John lifted one hand and brushed a raven lock of hair from out of Karkat's eyes. Karkat was at first surprised, but didn't flinch away, before he returned to his usual glare.

"I'm trying to say that I think I like you too."

There. The words were out there. John smiled his dorky, crooked smile, buck teeth and all at the skinny troll before him.

That was, apparently, good enough for Karkat. For now. The boy wordlessly latched onto the other in a gentle and careful embrace, as if the self-proclaimed master prankster was going to laugh and yell, "Gotcha!" John, momentarily shocked and only very slightly uncomfortable with this new feeling, cast away his insecurities and let his arms fall around Karkat's neck and shoulders. Both of them were blushing but neither of them really gave a fuck anymore. Karkat pressed his mouth to John's cheek, then, standing on his toes, to his forehead. John giggled lightly. The human leaned and nuzzled into the other boy's neck, one hand now intertwined in the troll's unruly hair.

There was nothing more to it than that, since Karkat was afraid of scaring John away again. And he was happy with it just the way it was. It was progress on John's part. At the very least, Karkat was ecstatic that he had a chance with the human.

"Karkat?" John asked after a quiet, content minute.

Karkat hummed against John's ear in response. The vibrations sent a peculiar, not unpleasant feeling down John's spine. He smiled into Karkat's neck.

"I missed you."

Karkat closed his eyes and thanked whatever god that was out there, if any at all, for this moment. With John safe and in his arms at last, he whispered, "I missed you too, Egderp."


End file.
